Why do more pros use poly/gut than gut/poly???

[ricardo]

Why do more pros use poly/gut than gut/poly?

Some say that gut crosses temper the harshness of the poly.
Some say that this hybrid feels the best.

What about snapback?
Natural gut is a very sticky string.
For example, Wilson Natural gut 16 has one of the highest (sticky) COF (string to string friction).
It has a very high COF of 0.245. The lowest COF is only 0.059 (poly).
http://twu.tennis-warehouse.com/learning_center/reporter2.php

A sticky cross string prevents/constrain the poly mains from snapping back.
So why would a pro use Natural gut as a cross?
Don't they care about the additional spin generated by snapback or are they are mostly flat hitters and don't care about spin?

Maybe they generate all the spin they need from their technique and they don't need additional spin from snapback.

Maybe snapback is overhyped and these pros are not buying into it.

Comments?

 

[McLovin]

Where do you get your numbers on who uses poly/gut more? As far as I know, the only player of note using poly/gut is Murray. I'm sure there are a few more, but he's the only one I've heard mention here.

 

[ricardo]

Where do you get your numbers on who uses poly/gut more? As far as I know, the only player of note using poly/gut is Murray. I'm sure there are a few more, but he's the only one I've heard mention here.

Good question.
Ask DUROC.
Maybe I misread his post.
http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/index.php?threads/gut-in-mains-or-crosses.557009/#post-10109528

However, whether there are more/less pros using poly/gut, the question remains the same:
Why poly/gut?
Is snapback not that important to these pros or whoever uses poly/gut (natural gut)?
Is snapback overhyped? How significant is the additional spin it claims to generate?

Personally, the more I develop my topspin strokes, the less value I put on snapback.
More and more, I can see/feel that spin generating strokes and grippy mains are the most
important factors in generating killer topspin.

 

[The Dark Knight]

Good question.
Ask DUROC.
Maybe I misread his post.
http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/index.php?threads/gut-in-mains-or-crosses.557009/#post-10109528

However, whether there are more/less pros using poly/gut, the question remains the same:
Why poly/gut?
Is snapback not that important to these pros or whoever uses poly/gut (natural gut)?
Is snapback overhyped? How significant is the additional spin it claims to generate?

Personally, the more I develop my topspin strokes, the less value I put on snapback.
More and more, I can see/feel that spin generating strokes and grippy mains are the most
important factors in generating killer topspin.

I believe it's because poly really doesn't have very much feel whereas gut has exceptional feel .

Players like Murray and Federer do not only hit big topspin ....they also hit slices , volleys , drops , and all sorts of touch shots that require feel.

Personally I use Kevlar mains gut cross but I would love to use it the other way around if it lasted longer that way.

 

[ricardo]

I believe it's because poly really doesn't have very much feel whereas gut has exceptional feel .

Players like Murray and Federer do not only hit big topspin ....they also hit slices , volleys , drops , and all sorts of touch shots that require feel.

Personally I use Kevlar mains gut cross but I would love to use it the other way around if it lasted longer that way.

poly really doesn't have very much feel whereas gut has exceptional feel .

Aha!!
This is what I am missing.

I am basically just a baseliner, just bashing the ball at every opportunity.
Very minimal slice, volleys, drops etc.

So poly mains provides the spin and gut provides the feel for other delicate shots.

I tried gut/poly before but most of my balls go out.
Since I switch to poly/gut, sg/multi I have more control.

BTW, I use Babolat stringsavers to protect gut mains.

I still use Babolat stringsavers on poly mains to increase ball bite.

 

[The Dark Knight]

poly really doesn't have very much feel whereas gut has exceptional feel .

Aha!!
This is what I am missing.

I am basically just a baseliner, just bashing the ball at every opportunity.
Very minimal slice, volleys, drops etc.

So poly mains provides the spin and gut provides the feel for other delicate shots.

I tried gut/poly before but most of my balls go out.
Since I switch to poly/gut, sg/multi I have more control.

BTW, I use Babolat stringsavers to protect gut mains.

I still use Babolat stringsavers on poly mains to increase ball bite.

It does not cost very much to put gut in the crosses and they really don't break very often in the crosses ....especially if you get a 15 gauge gut

Gut is so much better than any multi .

There is however a new option ....Ashaway Zyex which is a new material that is unlike any other string . It is not a poly or a multi or a syn .....it's something completely new . There is also acetone Fluoro extreme which is supposed to be great but very expensive as well .

I have never tried either of the above strings but people are raving about them.

 

[Shroud]

poly really doesn't have very much feel whereas gut has exceptional feel .

Aha!!
This is what I am missing.

I am basically just a baseliner, just bashing the ball at every opportunity.
Very minimal slice, volleys, drops etc.

So poly mains provides the spin and gut provides the feel for other delicate shots.

I tried gut/poly before but most of my balls go out.
Since I switch to poly/gut, sg/multi I have more control.

BTW, I use Babolat stringsavers to protect gut mains.

I still use Babolat stringsavers on poly mains to increase ball bite.

did you do the gut/poly at similar tensions?

 

[ricardo]

did you do the gut/poly at similar tensions?

No.

Gut/poly - gut is higher by at least 10lbs, i.e 55/40

Poly/gut - gut is higher by at least 5lbs, i.e 45/50

 

[Jamesm182]

Pros possibly are not as bothered about the spin, as their rackets are that heavily weighted, that this enhances the spin , and weight of shot that they have already. String choice will obviously aid spin , but it is only a contributing factor.
I believe most pros, who also arent as bothered about durability, would go for a control oriented setup, that provides a good level of comfort.

 

[SpinToWin]

Some prefer a low launch angle and poly/gut has just that. It tends to be guys who really vertically brush at the ball who like lower launch angles (and both Murray and Nishikori, as well as Dolgopolov have a tendency to do that more than others). The higher launch angle of gut is more suitable to more linear strokes, or alternatively really ripping the ball from way behind (see Dominic Thiem).

 

[ricardo]

It does not cost very much to put gut in the crosses and they really don't break very often in the crosses ....especially if you get a 15 gauge gut

Gut is so much better than any multi .

There is however a new option ....Ashaway Zyex which is a new material that is unlike any other string . It is not a poly or a multi or a syn .....it's something completely new . There is also acetone Fluoro extreme which is supposed to be great but very expensive as well .

I have never tried either of the above strings but people are raving about them.

.Ashaway Zyex which is a new material that is unlike any other string

I tried Monogut ZX and I like it very much as a cross.
However, it gave me stringing phobia:
It is the only string that I have broken while stringing/tying-off many times.
I am now scared to string ZX but I still have 2 more sets left.

 

[anubis]

.Ashaway Zyex which is a new material that is unlike any other string

I tried Monogut ZX and I like it very much as a cross.
However, it gave me stringing phobia:
It is the only string that I have broken while stringing/tying-off many times.
I am now scared to string ZX but I still have 2 more sets left.

I string ZX occasionally: you need to be on your game when you string it. Normally when I string, I either have music playing or a movie in the background. I might even have a beer or two. But not with ZX: no alcohol, no movies, no music: just focus. If you're careful, the results are great.

 

[jmc3367]

.Ashaway Zyex which is a new material that is unlike any other string

I tried Monogut ZX and I like it very much as a cross.
However, it gave me stringing phobia:
It is the only string that I have broken while stringing/tying-off many times.
I am now scared to string ZX but I still have 2 more sets left.

I had the same thing happen

 

[Dartagnan64]

No.

Gut/poly - gut is higher by at least 10lbs, i.e 55/40

Poly/gut - gut is higher by at least 5lbs, i.e 45/50

This is probably why everything went long with your gut/poly. That's a pretty lively tension setting. I'd increase the gut to 58-60 lbs with the poly at 45-50 and see how that would work.

 

[LeeD]

Most player's break mains first, and crosses can last almost double the time of mains.
Poly mains last longer.
Gut crosses give feel and power.
Pros don't need more spin, they want more power WITH control.

 

[The Dark Knight]

This is going to blow your mind ....but a book I read years ago says that it's not the strings that give spin but racquet head speed.

So people who string tightly are getting more spin because they can swing the racquet a lot harder.

Personally I don't believe that theory at all .....the reason is because spaghetti strings created more Spin than anything and that was all strings !

 

[LeeD]

Different pros want different things out of their strings?
Ivo and Isner don't need more power.
Ferrer and Nishkori could use more power if it came with at least equal control.

 

[ricardo]

This is going to blow your mind ....but a book I read years ago says that it's not the strings that give spin but racquet head speed.

So people who string tightly are getting more spin because they can swing the racquet a lot harder.

Personally I don't believe that theory at all .....the reason is because spaghetti strings created more Spin than anything and that was all strings !

spaghetti strings created more Spin than anything and that was all strings

Interesting.

Suppose I hit flat, no spin at all.
So if I use spaghetti strings, I will automatically generate spin that is so vicious you won't know what to do with it?
And I can do that without changing my strokes at all?

 

[The Dark Knight]

spaghetti strings created more Spin than anything and that was all strings

Interesting.

Suppose I hit flat, no spin at all.
So if I use spaghetti strings, I will automatically generate spin that is so vicious you won't know what to do with it?
And I can do that without changing my strokes at all?

It's impossible to hit flat with no spin at all actually ....

But let's assume arguendo that you could .....the answer would be : YES!

Spaghetti strings were a double set of main strings and there were like only 4 crosses or something .

This allowed the mains to move extremely freely .

The double strings would sling shot the ball with amazing snap back with even a flat stroke .

 

[eelhc]

I believe it's because poly really doesn't have very much feel whereas gut has exceptional feel .

Players like Murray and Federer do not only hit big topspin ....they also hit slices , volleys , drops , and all sorts of touch shots that require feel.

Personally I use Kevlar mains gut cross but I would love to use it the other way around if it lasted longer that way.

Hmmm... Some of the more expensive/premium gut (Babolat, Wilson...) feel mushy/spongy to me. Some people like the plush feel of the gut but I definitely feel more "connected" to the racquet/ball with poly so I prefer poly for feel.

A nice compromise is Klip Legend NG which has a nice crisp feel.

 

[franco Rodriguez]

so i tried klip legend 16 on mains and 17 volk cyclone tour on crosses on my pure aero at 54 52 and man first impression was good but after i hitting for 2 hours tension dropped over 6 to 7 pounds, its way to powerful for me. i either have to go up on my tension about 3 pounds on each or go poly on mains and gut on crosses.
i played with hyper g 16l at 54lbs until my elbow was hurting, i need to find a new soft string setup.

 

[The Dark Knight]

Hmmm... Some of the more expensive/premium gut (Babolat, Wilson...) feel mushy/spongy to me. Some people like the plush feel of the gut but I definitely feel more "connected" to the racquet/ball with poly so I prefer poly for feel.

A nice compromise is Klip Legend NG which has a nice crisp feel.

I would never play with a full bed of gut .

I use a hybrid with Kevlar

 

[ricardo]

so i tried klip legend 16 on mains and 17 volk cyclone tour on crosses on my pure aero at 54 52 and man first impression was good but after i hitting for 2 hours tension dropped over 6 to 7 pounds, its way to powerful for me. i either have to go up on my tension about 3 pounds on each or go poly on mains and gut on crosses.
i played with hyper g 16l at 54lbs until my elbow was hurting, i need to find a new soft string setup.

Your crosses lost 26lbs and your mains only lost 8lbs (http://twu.tennis-warehouse.com/learning_center/reporter2.php)
Too low tensions in the crosses (<30lbs) causes a higher launch angle resulting in balls going out or losing control.

BTW, lowering tension does not always mean more power.
The only way you can increase power significantly is to lower your tension by 50%, but again only up to a certain extent because lowering your tension below 30lbs actually reduces power.

 

[eelhc]

so i tried klip legend 16 on mains and 17 volk cyclone tour on crosses on my pure aero at 54 52 and man first impression was good but after i hitting for 2 hours tension dropped over 6 to 7 pounds, its way to powerful for me. i either have to go up on my tension about 3 pounds on each or go poly on mains and gut on crosses.
i played with hyper g 16l at 54lbs until my elbow was hurting, i need to find a new soft string setup.

You're looking for a soft string that isn't too powerful. Are you married to the Pure Aero? Sounds to me like you can generate enough power on your own so how about a softer frame instead. Don't want to mess with that elbow...

 

[franco Rodriguez]

yes that is my gold find a soft poly hybrid setup with good control and spin friendly . i been playing with aero line since high school.then stop playing for 7 years now. im back again. pure aero feels way softer than my old aeropro . im 26 years old 5.0 player always played with poly.. maybe i need a soft death poly .

 

[SpinToWin]

so i tried klip legend 16 on mains and 17 volk cyclone tour on crosses on my pure aero at 54 52 and man first impression was good but after i hitting for 2 hours tension dropped over 6 to 7 pounds, its way to powerful for me. i either have to go up on my tension about 3 pounds on each or go poly on mains and gut on crosses.
i played with hyper g 16l at 54lbs until my elbow was hurting, i need to find a new soft string setup.

If you wanna give gut/poly a try again…

Babolat Tonic + Longevity >15L in the mains and Kirschbaum Max Power 16 in the crosses.

For full poly, definitely check out Yonex Poly Tour Pro.

 

[franco Rodriguez]

If you wanna give gut/poly a try again…

Babolat Tonic + Longevity >15L in the mains and Kirschbaum Max Power 16 in the crosses.

For full poly, definitely check out Yonex Poly Tour Pro.

cool ! yea, im going to keep trying until i find something that i like.
thanks

 

[The Dark Knight]

And if that doesn't work try Kevlar Forten in the crosses .....that should deaden the power for you